Preparing your business to endure disasters – “We are a proud Ashland “Emergency Prepared Business”
Ashland Fire & Rescue supports businesses in preparing for disasters through the implementation of the “Emergency Prepared Business” program aimed at providing businesses and their employees preparedness training. Training consists of components such as general disaster preparedness, fire and hazardous materials safety, medical and first aid awareness, evacuation protocols, and developing an emergency action plan, employee communication plan, and a business continuity planning.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, forty percent of businesses do not reopen after being impacted by a disaster such as fires and floods. Communities depend on local businesses flourishing and staying in business to support local economy after disasters. It is critical for businesses to plan for these instances so when disaster strikes you can respond and endure. Disasters can and will happen during the span of your operations, but it doesn’t mean the impacts have to be so negative and debilitating that you cannot bounce back and continue to operate.
The program allows attendees to acquire the knowledge, confidence, and skills to effectively deal with a disaster. Key elements include hazard prevention education, leadership during emergencies and an understanding and ability to implement procedures and protocols. This information can be critical to your business’s response to and recovery from a disaster. The delivery, typically offered in sessions, is tiered to introduce some of the basic concepts early in the first session and expand towards more complex training modules in the latter sessions. Business owners are encouraged to attend workshops in addition to all employees.
What your business can do now to prepare:
For additional information and schedule, contact Terri Eubanks, CERT Coordinator at (541) 552-2226 and www.ashlandcert.org
